My FRIEND and HER Tummy ;)

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  • CherryBlossom1982
    CherryBlossom1982 Posts: 63 Member
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    Hi all,

    Thank you all so much for your feedback and sharing your stories. It really helps to know that this isn't it.
    @EIExGordo- that gave me a laugh :) As you all know there is no friend, but I now have more hope. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change it for the world, my little munchkin is worth these battle scares and some! I just want to be healthier, look better and in turn this will make me feel better and more confident, which my daughter will sooner or later will pick up on.

    @Bethanytowell- thank you so much for the link "theshapeofamother.com", at a quick glance it looks like just what I need, I can see myself spending some time on there.

    Here's what I’m doing at the moment and plan to tweak as I learn and make a lifestyle:
    1. Monitoring what I eat. I’m eating less processed foods. Eating more F&V, whole wheat and lean meats.
    2. Drinking more water
    3. Working out, mainly cardio at the moment as I signed up for my first half marathon, which is in Feb. I signed up for this for both the experience and motivation to work out. I know strength training needs to be incorporated also, so I did an upper body routine this week that I found online. I need to get workouts for other areas too.

    @Raf702, I really appreciate your positive feedback and would love it if you could recommend any core/other workouts that you feel would help in my situation.

    I know I can do this and I know it's going to happen over time, it just seems like it's been longer than 5 months I guess. I've made the above changes over the last month and feel better for it already, having more energy etc. I guess I’m just still coming to terms with my temporary new look.

    Thanks again for all the feedback you guys are amazing :)
  • Hissweetheart
    Hissweetheart Posts: 14 Member
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    I have had 2 children, with my youngest almost 4, and my stomach is still a horrible mess. I was heavy for over half of my life so I attribute the situation I've got going on now to the combination of all the extra weight and 2 children, one of them 9lbs 4 oz and 21" long. I know it's possible to wear a bikini after childbirth; many women do it. But I do think there are many things that factor into a woman being able to pull it off.
  • Cbandelier
    Cbandelier Posts: 217 Member
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    Okay, here is my experience - others may vary. I have lost all of my baby weight, in fact I weigh less now than I did before I got pregnant. However, I got so large and gained so much weight (50 pounds) from my pregnancy that I have the extra skin and stretch marks. I can say this, I am wearing a size 2 or 4 right now depending on brand, so I feel great overall about the progress but when I look in the mirror, I am not thrilled with what I see. My tummy is a lot flatter, but with a lot of extra skin. The stretch marks I have known will never go away.

    I am this!

    I think it is unrealistic to say that every woman can return to her pre-baby body, no matter how much dedication and hard work they put in. The body can only stretch so much. I am probably in the best shape I have ever been, I am lean, muscular, and at a low body weight. I have nice, decently hard abs which show on the sides, but in the front I think they will always be hidden by a layer of fat, stretchy skin. If I were somehow able to lose that fat, (or, say, had it sucked out) it would be a layer of loose, hangy, stretchy skin.

    That being said, it looks a lot better to me now than I would have thought possible a year or so ago. And it has taken a while - my baby is 2 now. And I am actually starting to love the look of my belly, imperfect as it may be. I say embrace your body and love it, and be happy whether it returns to where it was or even if it doesn't.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    Any female can get back to their pre-pregnancy physique. That's the beauty of the human body. The ability to stretch, tighten, grow, etc. She needs to focus on her nutrition, specifically calorie consumption. She needs to determine what her BMR is, maintenance calories are. Then she can formulate a calorie deficit plan. All the while she can incorporate exercises that are focused in the core area. Abdominals, lowers back, etc. Within time, the loose skin will tighten up. It's a matter of discipline in the diet and exercises. They're thousands of women out there in the world who have gone through this, and have achieved their pre-pregnancy physique or obtained better. Good luck to her!

    OK, you go hush, that is ridiculous. Let me know after you have a couple babies how YOU make the stretch marks and skin go away.
  • Caz2678
    Caz2678 Posts: 49
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    Any female can get back to their pre-pregnancy physique. That's the beauty of the human body. The ability to stretch, tighten, grow, etc. She needs to focus on her nutrition, specifically calorie consumption. She needs to determine what her BMR is, maintenance calories are. Then she can formulate a calorie deficit plan. All the while she can incorporate exercises that are focused in the core area. Abdominals, lowers back, etc. Within time, the loose skin will tighten up. It's a matter of discipline in the diet and exercises. They're thousands of women out there in the world who have gone through this, and have achieved their pre-pregnancy physique or obtained better. Good luck to her!

    Tell my body that then! Oh and tell my pelvic floor the same thing cos they aint listening! I had my first baby 12 years ago and although I returned to my pre pregnancy weight my body was changed for good!

    I had my third baby 5 months ago and my body is scarred! I have stretch marks, lose skin, varicose veins to name a few! These are things I need to live with but they will never go away and my body won't just repair them!

    I love my babies and would not change them for the world. I concentrate on them and keep myself active and healthy. Being a mum is special and when I see the smiles on their faces it distracts me from my body issues.

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